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Some of the inmates swooned with“mm-mm-mms…” or “hello, honeys!” or “sweet evil thang, come to Mamma.”
I flashed nasty looks their way as a flicker of jealousy spiked through me.
Stark continued, “Here is my proof. The tattoos on my arms will match the photos of her victim.”
The room of reporters started buzzing with noise.
He continued, “Soon, a new vampire leader will be elected to represent my people and work with the proper human leaders to address any concerns. I wish you all a good night.” He left the stage in a blur.
The prison rec room exploded in expletives of every kind.
“Masie, he was talking about you! You’re going to be free, woman!” said Darla.
I blinked, trying to soak in what just happened. Stark gave it all up—the power, his political party, and probably every ally he’d ever had, all just to clear my name.
The world would know I wasn’t a killer. Not of humans, anyway.
Tears pooled in my eyes. Not because I would hopefully leave this place soon, but because my mamma, Maybell, and even Uncle Jimmie could hold their heads high again.
Suck on that, Netflix.
“Kicklighter, get your things. You’re going home today,” said a guard outside my cell at the crack of dawn.
I rubbed my eyes. “Sorry?”
“Chop Chop, the governor’s given you a pardon.”
For the record, she wasn’t telling me to hurry. Chop Chop was one of my prison nicknames.
“Did he say why?” Not that I was complaining, but it hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since Stark went public. This was fast.
The guard shrugged. “You can’t kill something that’s already dead, I guess.”
He guessed right!
He added, “Also, I hear the governor’s wife is ill. Maybe he swapped a favor or something.”
Stark. I bet he’s behind this.
I grabbed my things, which wasn’t much—just a few rolls of toilet paper (aka letters to my family) and a postcard from all the people at the Rooster, with a picture of Barney on the front.
“See ya, Chainsaw,” I said to my cellmate, who was rolled up in a blanket on the top bunk.
“See ya, Ginsu,” she grumbled and went back to sleep.
I followed the guard to a section of the prison I’d only seen once before when I’d checked in. Only now, I was checking out.
I kept pinching myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I’d finally be going home, not that I had one anymore. The Carlins had ended up selling their place after I went to prison. Couldn’t say I blamed them after a gruesome “murder” had been committed in their guesthouse.
Still, I’d get to return to Leiper’s Fork and the Rooster. I could help Uncle Jimmie save the place, which had been struggling ever since my conviction. Some of the people in town wanted nothing to do with us Kicklighters.
“Is this really happenin’?” I asked the female officer waiting to walk me out as my belongings were handed over. Apparently, they couldn’t get me out of there fast enough.
“Yep. It’s your lucky day, vampire president.”
I frowned.What in the Sam Hill?
In the course of twenty minutes, I was given a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, and tennis shoes and shown the door. I stepped outside, inhaling the cool, fresh morning air.
